Daughters of the Moon
by Lady Starbright
Summary: ON HIATUS Three daughters trying to live up to their mother's expectation but each is wanted to achieve someting different. This is the story of how they are united with a common aim. Please review!
1. Your going to be a page

**Daughters of the Moon**

Your going to be a page

"Not one girl, but two!" he screamed.

"Yes, two girls" came the even reply.

"Well sire, they would have to be put on probation for year like Squire Keladry was" was the only reply the training master could come up with.

"I did not feel that the probationary year was necessary when Keladry was put on it, even more so now" was the answer that His Majesty.

With a sigh of submission Lord Wyldon nodded. King Jonathan nodded in reply and stood to leave the training master's office, a small smile playing across his lips.

A slight woman opened the door to her daughter's room "Dear" she began "I need to talk to you about training to be a knight."

"But mother," her daughter began "you know I can only train to be a knight if His Majesty _and_ the training master agrees to it."

"And why wouldn't they let you in?" asked her mother.

"You mean they let me in? Yes! I don't know why they even had to _consider_ it, they let all the boys who are nobles in! Yes, I'm going to be a pa-age! I'm going to be a pa-age! I'm going to be a pa-age!"

"Calm down!" he mother replied laughing. "You know it will be hard, and be careful."

"Yes, I know, I know. It will be hard, behave, do your best. But Ma, I'm going to be a pa-age! I'm going to be a pa-age!" she chanted.

"Oh be quiet or I won't let you go!" she yelled. Her daughter was quiet immediately as she said that.

**_A/N – _**pa-age is pronounced _pay-age_, it's just her chanting the word page. So tell me what you think, I will accept flames, though I would prefer mildly scorched or slightly cindered. In other words please review!


	2. Sponsors

Sponsors

Within Lord Wyldon's office sat two girls, the two girls which he had been appalled at having to take on. "There are certain rules you must abide by whilst you are in training. You will be treated no differently because of your gender and shall be given no special privileges. When a boy is in your room you will leave the door open, the same applies for when you are in a boy's room. The royal family eat in private most nights so you will not be required to serve, though you will serve at banquets. You are also to run errands for any lord or lady who asks. Is that understood?" he asked.

"Yes my lord," came the reply.

"You are to go to your rooms now and unpack your belongings. Sponsors will be decided after this, a sponsor shows you around and stops you from getting lost. Is that understood?" he asked again.

"Yes my lord" came the reply, again.

"Now leave."

"Now who will sponsor Page Aly?" asked the training master.

"I will sir" a voice called as a boy raised his hand, it was the only one raised. This set many of the pages murmuring.

"You wish to sponsor this _girl_ your Highness?" Lord Wyldon inquired, his amazement showing in his voice.

"Yes, Lord Wyldon I do" was the cool reply.

"As you wish, it is your decision your Highness" shock still coming across in his voice. At this the first girl, who was not that noticeable due to her hair being covered by a scarf, went to stand next to the prince.

"So, who wishes to sponsor Page Nimi?" inquired the training master, still trying to keep his voice level at the Prince's choice.

"I will," called a voice, a large boy who seemed to have been inspired by the Prince.

"Gareth, yes, you shall sponsor Page Nimi."

This continued for the other new pages, four other boys from various parts of Tortall, until all had a sponsor to look after them. After this Lord Wyldon sent them about their business until the bell for dinner.

"Thanks Paul" Aly whispered to her new sponsor "I was rather worried our dear training would have to force someone to sponsor."

"Anything for you my dear friend," he replied.

"How many times have I told you not to call me my dear!" she moaned back.


	3. Explanations

Explanations

"Hey Gary," Aly called as she rounded the door of his room, "His Highness requests your presence in his rooms."

Gary looked up at Aly from where he was seated next to Nimi. "Why does he want me, we haven't even got any work from mathematics yet which he can want help with yet!" he exclaimed.

"I think he's just lonely and can't be bothered to come and see you." Aly replied.

"Yeah, I can see that happening easily, just like him" Gary agreed as he and Nimi rose. They chattered amiably on the way to the Prince's rooms about this and that – court affairs, riding conditions, and the ever looming training master.

The prince, Paul, smiled up at the three as they entered and asked "What are you doing here? I didn't know we were going to meet up."

"But Aly, didn't you say…" Gary began.

"Have a seat my dear Gareth, rest your weary bones!" Aly cut in.

"Does this mean…" Nimi began, who received a nod from Aly as an answer. "Oh good, this scarf is so annoying," she continued as she began to tug of a scarf identical to the one Aly was wearing.

"Hey!" Gary cried, "you two look really alike!"

With that two pairs of glimmering sapphire eyes fixed him with a piercing stare. Black locks now framed Nimi's creamy skinned face. Gary just stared, and kept on staring. Eventually Aly got bored and she too tugged off her head scarf.

"Paul, I think you should reintroduce Nimi." Said Aly, trying to break through the stares the other three were sharing.

"Since when were you two on first name terms?" blurted Gary.

"For the past 10 years of my life, in other words my entire life" she replied.

"Anyway," Paul cut in "Al do I have to do a _formal_ introduction?"

"Yes Paul, you'll have to do it properly some day so you may as well start now, and don't try and avoid it."

"Ok, Gareth may I introduce you to my sister Princess Nimeera of Conté?" Paul spat out very fast.

"Well done Paul" congratulated Aly in a _very_ patronising voice, "Now I suppose you must introduce me."

"Well you made me do a formal introduction so I'm afraid I will have to. Revenge will be so sweet" he said grinning.

"Get on with it you two," Nimi cut in. "I know you've been doing this since you were five but we have far more important things to do."

"Yeah, yeah," agreed Paul. "Gareth may I also present to you Alianne of Pirate's Swoop?"

Gary stared, again. "So," he began, "you are trying to tell me that Nimi is your sister and Aly is the daughter of the Lioness?"

"Idiot," murmured Aly, who then raised her voice and continued, "Nimi is an abbreviation of Nimeera and Aly is short for Alianne." She had resumed her patronising voice.

"Well, you two do look very alike," Gary said, nodding to them both. "And I suppose you do look like the Lioness."

"Well, now we've settled that can we play some chess?" Nimi asked.


	4. Patterns

**_A/N: _**Just to let you know the situation with the royal family in this story (thanks Mage of Dragons for pointing this out to me!). It goes Roald (19 at the beginning of the story), Kalasin (16), Paul (13), Nimeera (10), Jasson (6), Lianne (5) and Liam (5). Also Gary is the son of Gary and Cythera (thanks yet again to Mage of Dragons), I don't know if they had any children and if so what they were called, it just made sense to me.

**Disclaimer:** Opps, I forgot to do this earlier, I own nothing, Tamora Pierce does

Patterns

The large bell clanged the dawn bell jolting Aly out of her slumber. She groaned loudly and rolled out of bed. She heaved herself off the floor where she had landed, she was _not_ a morning person. She scrambled to put on breeches and a shirt. Hurriedly she splashed her face, tidied her hair and cleaned her teeth. She shot out of her room, pausing only to lock her door, to arrive at the mess hall on time.

She sat down at a table where Gary, Paul and Nimi were already seated. She glanced around the room and was relieved to find that several others had still not arrived. She picked up a plate and waited until she could be served.

"Good," Paul said "I was worried that you would be late and the last one to get here."

"So I'm not late?" asked Aly in amazement.

"Surprisingly, no." replied Nimi.

During this the last pages had arrived and servants had begun to serve breakfast. The pages listened to Lord Wyldon's thanks for the food and then dug in. Many, including Aly, ate as if they were sleepwalking. A few groans sounded as the pages stood and went to the outdoor practice courts.

They began with hand to hand combat with the shang warriors, Eda Bell, the wildcat and Hakuin Seastone, the horse. Senior pages began routines under the strict eyes of the wildcat, whilst the new pages were shown basic throws and defences.

Hand to hand combat was followed by archery. The archery teacher assessed there skill and set about improving stance and aim. Then they were sent to the stables to saddle their horses. Nimi saddled her horse Ember, a red brown mare with who answered to few, whilst Aly saddled hers, a lively gold brown mare called Noon. All they did that first day was walk, trot and canter around.

Nimi and Aly collapsed when they reached the mess hall, Gary and Paul just sat down, obviously more used to the pace than the other two. The hall fell silent for a while as the pages began to eat, but then the noise rose.

"I am sooo hungry," Aly exclaimed "I haven't fought for so long in ages!"

"Ahh, the appetites these younglings have nowadays," Gary said.

"Gary!" all three of the others exclaimed.

The bell rang to signal the end of lunch and all four rushed to collect books before heading to their lessons. The started with mathematics which nearly sent the class to sleep as the mithran master droned on and on. Then they were forced to endure an hour of etiquette, learning bows and the like. Then they're day brightened slightly, history, that lesson did not send any of them to sleep. Many found it interesting and at the end did not want to leave for the literature lesson they had next, but they had to. Yet again it was a lesson which nearly sent them to sleep.

They trudged to the mess hall, Nimi and Aly completely worn out. They listened to another of Lord Wyldon's prayers. All of them ate like ravished dogs. Once they were done they left to finish any work they had been set. Aly, Nimi, Gary and Paul met in Paul's room to complete it.

"I am so tired, and who would ever want to read a chapter on 'The varying status of nobility throughout the past 600 years'?"

"Well obviously Master Saiyun wants us to, and that does mean we have to do it," said Paul.

"I know I have to do it but that doesn't stop me from moaning about to you lot," retorted Aly.

"Shut up you two, I'm trying to do a quadratic equation!" cried Gary. The others, after a few moans, did agree to Gary's request.

This continued for a while, gradually getting harder as time went by, forming the pattern of their lives. The time flew by, service at the midwinter came and went with no mishaps, though both Aly and Nimi were a bundle of nerves beforehand. They easily fell into the rhythm of training, though occasionally their lessons changed as they progressed. All the pages were quickly covered in bruises, some even suffered broken bones. Etiquette did not improve and all the new pages quickly began to resent the hours they spent with Master Saiyun. But always looming in the back of the pages minds were the forthcoming examinations.


	5. Exams

Exams

The exams came. The little exams and the big exams. Gary and Paul were to face the big exams, whilst Aly and Nimi were to take the first-year exams. The day before the first-year exams Nimi and Aly sat in silence, flicking through books. That night both got little sleep, nerves messing with their minds.

The next morning the two of them hurried to the examination hall, straightening their tunics as they went. They arrived with a few minutes to spare, which they spent fidgeting anxiously. The two of them entered the room in silence along with the other first-years. One by one they were called to answer questions on the basic learning they had studied. After, they left for the practice courts to be tested in weapons, archery and hand-to-hand combat. Aly and Nimi were found to have answered all their questions correctly, as well as doing well in combat.

A few days later it was Paul and Gary's turns to be bundles of nerves. The jumped whenever anyone walked past the area they sat in the library and bit off the heads of anyone who even _dared_ try to speak to them. They were even earlier to the exams than Aly and Nimi had been for they feared being held back. Aly, Nimi and Paul and Gary's families had all come to watch and provide encouragement. They answered all of the required questions easily and had no difficulty in combat.

That evening the meal for the pages and squires was particularly good, in celebration of the new squires passing the exams. That night Aly and Nimi found others to sit with, they normally sat with Paul and Gary, instead the found seats at a table with some of their new fellow second-years, Martin and David. At the beginning of the meal the two were slightly tense as they didn't know Martin and David that well but as the meal passed as they realised that the other two were just as nervous of them as they were of Martin and David so they quickly relaxed.

* * *

Nimi and Aly were making there way back to their rooms from dinner when they were stopped by Wenlow and some of his fellow third year pages. They circled them against the wall, fists clenched.

"What are going to do now that your pretty prince and Gary are gone?" jeered Wenlow, whilst a few of his companions snickered.

"What do you mean by that Wenlow?" asked Nimi.

A cold smile spread across his face, "You can't hide behind your big friends anymore. You don't deserve to be here and you will leave," he ordered.

"We're not leaving Wenlow, we're allowed to be here, so we will stay," replied Aly.

"Well then, this may hurt so last chance not to be humiliated." Sneered Wenlow.

"Why would we be humiliated, we can fight," answered Aly.

The fight hardly lasted any time at all. Aly and Nimi escaped most of the punches and left as soon as they could, neither of them had a particular desire to fight Wenlow and the others. Though they left quite quickly they were still slightly battered from the blows which had been dealt. This continued for a long while, Wenlow and his companions catching them whenever they were alone.

* * *

**A/N: **Please tell me what you think! How could I improve it? Please review! 


	6. Letters

Letters

Dear Aly,

I have decided that I shall come and join you at the palace as a page, I know it's three years late but I have decided that this is what I want to do. Will you sponsor me when I come, I really don't want to find my own way around. On too other news, Thom still has his nose in a book, Ma's chopped up more Scanrans and Da's been visiting some of his friends. I know you get some free time in the summer, and I'm coming to Corus early so will you come with me and visit Thom. I wouldn't ask you but I'm worried that if it's just me he won't think it's important enough to stop reading.

Your loving twin, Alan

Dear Alan,

Of course I'll sponsor you but there'll probably be a brawl over who is to sponsor you seeing as you're the son of the Lioness. I look forward to hearing the other pages make you tell Ma's war stories. I'm glad that Ma and Thom are still doing what they love, and Da's getting on with business and visiting said friends, and I assume catching up on what happened? And yes I will come and see Thom with you, but I'm not sure that even the two of us will be enough if he's reading a good book. I can't believe you've finally decided to do something with your life.

Your not so loving twin, Aly

Dearest Aly,

Not so loving, Aly? What have they done to you at the palace? I really hope I _don't_ have to tell war stories, you know I loathe it. As I said before, Da's been meeting up with a lot of friends since the war started. He says he doesn't want them to die in the war with him not knowing anything about them or their life. I'm pretty sure Ma's OK but she misses you. I hope there isn't a fight over who'll sponsor me, that would be embarrassing.

Your soon to be page brother, Alan

Dear Alan,

I'm glad everyone's OK. I'll see you in Corus soon, and there _will_ be a brawl over who will be your sponsor. I am not getting involved unless Wenlow wins. You _will_ be asked to tell war stories, everyone always asks Ma. See you soon.

Your already a page sister, Aly

**A/N: **The chapters will be longer when the proper plot comes through


	7. Sponsors for a brother

Sponsors for a brother

"Now, who wishes to sponsor Alan of Pirate's Swoop?" asked Lord Wyldon. A rush of hands flew up, each of them jostling to be seen. This brought a small smile to Page Aly's face. "Page Martin, you shall sponsor Page Alan. Now as that is all you may go."

"Told you they'd all want to sponsor you," Aly whispered to her brother as she walked past.

* * *

Aly didn't get another chance to speak to Alan until later that evening when Martin brought Alan along to study with him, David, Aly and Nimi. They sat around a table as David and Martin pummelled Alan with questions about his mother. Aly just sat and smiled, and at one point mouthed "I told you so" to him.

"So how's your family?" Aly asked, attempting to save him from having to tell any war stories.

"Oh they're all fine. How about yours?" he replied.

"Fine as well," she answered.

Martin and David stared at them. "Have you two met before?" asked Martin.

"Once or twice," replied Aly.

"You have? Amasing!" answered David.

"Yeah sure," said Nimi. "Now can you please be quiet? I'm actually trying to study."

Over the next year things yet again fell into a pattern. Wenlow began to leave Aly and Nimi alone as Alan, Martin and David spent more time with them. Lessons were the same, though they became harder as the year progressed, it was an uneventful year.


	8. More Explanations

**A/N:** The Lady Starbright in this story is _not_ me. She existed in my mind beforehand and I just used her name as my pen name.

More explanations

"Remind me why we are doing this?" asked Aly as she and Nimi rode through a haze of fine drizzle.

"We are doing this my friend, because our dear training master ordered it. Had you forgotten it?" replied Nimi who received a glare in reply.

They continued to ride until they were forced to stop by a stranger standing in the middle of the track. Two pairs of eyes were transfixed on the figure as they dismounted. As they neared her Aly found her voice, "Mother, what do you want with us?" she asked.

"I could be merely seeing how two female pages are fairing," the woman replied. She stood tall, emerald eyes blazing against her white skin. Fog draped round her like a dress and dew partially veiled her face.

"But Mother, Gods don't seem to just pop into the mortal realms for a cup of tea and a chat."

"Very observant Aly," commented the Goddess, "I have important matters to discuss with you."

"_Us, _Goddess?" questioned Nimi

"Yes you now take a seat my daughters and I will explain all," answered the Mother.

With that the two sat, along with a figure who had appeared from nowhere. So, as promised the Goddess explained. She explained how the future the Gods foresaw was unstable, and how there needed to be a force in the mortal realms who could aid the fight which was to come.

"A fight with who?" asked Nimi, to which She replied that they would know soon enough. She then explained that she bestowed on each of them an aspect of her power.

"Not all of that aspect though," she told them, "that would be too much for your bodies to cope with. This is my daughter Lady Starbright, she will guide you from the realms." At this, the stranger who had appeared earlier inclined her head and the Mother vanished.

"Err, so Lady Starbright, could you please explain?" asked Nimi.

"Of course I'll explain. There's no point in me being here if I don't. But please, just call me Abby," she asked.

"Abby?" Aly replied. "But you're a goddess!"

"_Technically,_ I'm a demi-goddess. My father was a mortal, I just ended up living in the divine realms, not here," answered Abby.

"Care to elaborate?" asked Aly.

"OK, it's like this. My father and mother met one night and she became pregnant. She planned to leave me with my father once I was born but he died three months into her pregnancy. So I stayed with my mother in the divine realms. She named me Abigail after my father's mother. But living in the divine realms I had to become a god, so I became Lady Starbright, a minor goddess of stars and daughterhood. I'd have much rather stayed in the mortal realms, none of them are interested in doing anything with me because I'm so young. I got bored and used my powers, the gods told me that powers weren't meant to be for fun. I think that's the only reason some of them let me come here, to get me out of their hair. The animal gods and some of the minor gods are nice though."

"So you're saying that you're not a proper god?" asked Nimi.

"No, I shouldn't even have powers, things just got a bit mixed up," replied Abby.

"Can you please tell us about these aspects of the Mother's powers?" requested Aly.

"Oh yes, sorry. Well, the Mother has three aspects, one of which is reflected in each of us. Nimi, you are the Goddess's aspect of the mother, this means she can look into the minds of others and other places in the world. This is because the mother aspect looks at the here and now whereas the maiden looks forward and the hag looks back. I am the maiden aspect of the Goddess, this means I can see the possible futures. Aly, you are the hag aspect, this means you can see, and live through, events which have happened. There are other powers as well, powers related to nature. Nimi you are connected to earth, Aly you are connected to water, and I am connected to air. There is a fourth person which you will meet in the future who is connected to spirit. There is no fire because Mother Flame decreed many years ago that no mortal should have complete control of nature's fire, so instead each of us can partially control fire," Abby told them.

"I can't believe it. I'm thirteen and being called a hag," cried Aly.

"Sorry about that," replied Abby.

"But why the powers?" asked Nimi thoughtfully.

"Because not all gods follow the rules."


	9. Complications

Complications

Aly leaned back in her chair, she sat reading a book that her father had just sent her. She didn't quite get how he thought that "page training might not be exciting enough for her."

"Aly," began Paul.

"Yeah, what do you want?" she asked, not looking up from her book.

"Would you be my squire?" he asked.

"What!" Aly cried, leaping out of her seat.

"Why not? Come on, you'd be great!"

"I'm sorry, I can't. Sir Myles has already asked me and I've said yes," she explained.

"I'm sure he'd understand if you explained to him."

"Paul, no," she said, a slight amount of strain showing in her voice.

"Why not?" he demanded.

"It's just, well. You know Nimi'll be presented at court in two years time, well I know she doesn't want to go but she won't tell anyone she's in knight training. And, well, I promised that I'd be there as a Lady with her for part of the time and I can't do that if I'm your squire, can I?"

"I suppose not," he agreed resignedly.

"I'm sorry Paul, but I don't think it work, and it would just be a bit to close to what happened to my Ma. I want to be me, not her," she explained.

* * *

"He asked me to be his squire today," Aly murmured.

"Who, Paul?" asked Nimi.

"Yes, I told him Myles had already asked me but he said Myles wouldn't mind."

"You did say no, didn't you?" Abby asked, after a few weeks Aly and Nimi had got used to calling her by her proper name. The fact that she didn't act like a god probably helped though.

"Yes, I said no. I told him that I'd promised that I'd attend some balls with Nimi. Which is true, just not the whole truth. I just missed out the part about you and magic and a certain god"

"Thanks, I know this whole knighthood thing means a lot to you," smiled Abby.

"And you think the fate of the world doesn't?"

**A/N: **Not much I feel like saying except please review!


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